The few loci associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) are all related to immune function. We report a GWA study identifying a new locus replicated in 2,679 cases and 3,125 controls. An rs10492972[C] variant located in the KIF1B gene was associated with MS with an odds ratio of 1.35 (P = 2.5 × 10-10). KIF1B is a neuronally expressed gene plausibly implicated in the irreversible axonal loss characterizing MS in the long term.

doi.org/10.1038/ng.251, hdl.handle.net/1765/30208
Nature Genetics
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Aulchenko, Y., Hoppenbrouwers, I., Ramagopalan, S., Broer, L., Jafari, N., Hillert, J., … Hintzen, R. (2008). Genetic variation in the KIF1B locus influences susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. Nature Genetics, 40(12), 1402–1403. doi:10.1038/ng.251